FEATURE: Last year in Colorado, there were 137 attempts to ban seven books in public schools and libraries. Governor Jared Polis recently signed a bill into law known as the "Freedom to Read Act." It requires school districts to establish written policies for the acquisition, retention, display, and use of library resources by September. The new law is similar to one that passed last year that focuses on public libraries. For KVNF news, Laura Palmisano interviews Jamie LaRue, the executive director of the Garfield County Public Libraries District.
PUBLIC LANDS: Environmental advocates are condemning the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s spending package. It includes a proposal from Utah Republican Mike Lee that would result in the sale of millions of acres of federal public lands, among other provisions as reported by Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Caroline Llanes.
MEDICAID CUTS: Colorado News Connection's Eric Galatas reports that as Congress considers cuts to safety net programs in what Republicans are calling the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 16 million Americans – including 140-thousand in Colorado – would lose Medicaid health insurance.
